


S1E2: I'm here.

by TimeWoundsAllTheHeals



Series: Evergreen [2]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Depiction of Injuries, F/F, Fire, Gen, Lesbian Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 16:24:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimeWoundsAllTheHeals/pseuds/TimeWoundsAllTheHeals
Summary: Life is Strange timelines twist and turn, sometimes touching at pivotal moments. In all the timelines fate wants one thing, Chloe and Max to be together.This is part 2 of my Evergreen series.





	S1E2: I'm here.

The fire truck’s sirens rebounded off the buildings as they made their way towards the accident. Making a hard right the noise changed as the buildings gave way to more open ground, and then eventually the water of Lake Washington.

The truck’s Lieutenant, Steve Harvey, turned to face the rear, specifically his firefighter Candidate, “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be Lieutenant.”

“Good enough for me.” As the truck reached the accident, the driver, Lovell, pointed at a car hanging over the railing, a paramedic leaning through the window. He brought the truck to a stop next to it, and the five members of truck 42 ran over to assist the medic.

Lovell and Edwards put their combined weight on the trunk of the car, causing it's back wheels to settle back onto the pavement. The trucks candidate ran to the medic, and looked over her shoulder at the small brunette she was tending too, “Is she stable?”

“Yes but we need to free her ASAP, she's bleeding bad.”

“This is Max.” The medic said, introducing the victim as she stepped aside so that Chloe could approach the door.

 

* * *

 

“And that,” Lovell explained for the twentieth time since the accident, “Is when Price became a hero!” the shift replacing them cheered with good natured sarcasm at Chloe, who had gone as red as the truck they rode in. Most of the two shifts present from House 18 then fell about laughing at her. Chloe took it all in her stride, bowing extravagantly like she’d seen Rachel do a hundred times.

“Thank you, thank you all,” She said blowing imaginary kisses at the audience. Still milking the crowd for all it was worth, she tucked her blue hair behind her ears, and was surprised when they fell silent, “What?” Lovell pointed behind her, and Chloe turned to face the Chief.

“My office Price, if you can tear yourself away from your fans.”

Turning back to the room of firefighters after he left, she said, “You bunch of fuckers! You coulda at least warned me he was there.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” a guy on third shift yelled over the laughing. Chloe flicked the room a patented double bird, and spun on her heels to head for the chiefs office. Chief Aartsen was a good man. Equal parts feared and loved by those in his house. Chloe hadn't had many solo interactions with him, the day she joined the house of course, and two days ago, after the bridge job. She tapped on his glass door.

“Enter.”

“Chief,” Chloe said, standing upright, not at full attention, but showing respect for him.

“Sit, Chloe, please.” He eyed a chair opposite him, and Chloe sat down, straight backed.

“So, as you are well aware, a member of the public saw your little, _maneuver,_ on the bridge, and took a video of it on his cell phone.” Chloe was well aware of the video, the victim, Max, had been so scared of the car falling off the bridge, that Chloe had jumped onto its hood, lying flat to look her in the eyes, whilst the guys fixed a chain to it, and dragged it fully back onto the bridge with the truck.

It was in fact her Mom who had first alerted Chloe to the video, apparently because her step-dick had found it. She had had another row with him on her cell phone, _“Why the fuck are you googling me anyway David?”_ she had shouted in the station house, causing all the guys to rush for their cell phones, and google her. It had been on the nightly news as well, so wouldn't have stayed secret for a second, not in a firehouse full of gossiping firefighters anyway.

“Chief,” she said again nodding.

“Brass have got hold of it, and thanks to public perception of you as a _‘hero’_ ” he sneered slightly at the word, “You’ve been given a commendation.”

“I’m not a hero Chief.”

“Damn right your not Price. That stunt was reckless and if it weren't for all this,” he waved his hands about in front of his face, “This, _circus_ , this conversation would be going in a very different direction. Whilst firefighters are expected to face risk at work, they are not expected to,” he reached for the words, then settled on a news soundbite, “ _car surf_. Do I make myself clear Firefighter Candidate Price?”

Chloe couldn't help but sit even straighter in the chair, “Crystal, Chief.”

“Good,” he said as he stood and walked around his desk, Chloe stood, and he held out his hand, smiling. “Congratulations Chloe, your Dad would be proud of you.”

Chloe shook it, “Thank you Chief.”

She walked back to the squadroom, both shifts of firefighters were still there, and they fell silent as she entered. She couldn't help but grin, and the room erupted into congratulations and cheers, instead of laughter. Aartsen smiled to himself in his office, hearing the noise.

 

* * *

 

The bar was bouncing, all of second shift had turned out for a drink in honour of Chloe's commendation. Chloe though, only had eyes for her girlfriend. The guys knew all about Rachel, to be fair to them, they hardly mentioned it. It only came to light when on another booze soaked evening, the guys were talking about getting a particularly pretty girl’s phone number, and Chloe told them that she’d have more luck. Because the particularly pretty girl, was in fact, Rachel, her girlfriend.

“So when do you get the medal?” Rachel asked, her hazel eyes were pools of love which Chloe was constantly swimming in.

“Next Saturday.”

“Really?” Chloe nodded, “Fuck I need to go shopping, get a new dress.” She grabbed a napkin off the bar, screwed it into a ball and threw it at the back of Lovell’s head, who turned, confused, Chloe smiled into her beer bottle.

“Is your wife going next Saturday?” Lovell nodded, “Tell her to call me, we need to go dress shopping.” For way of an answer Lovell tipped his bottle at Rachel, then looked at Chloe, grinned, and tipped it again. Chloe returned the gesture.

Rachel returned her attention to Chloe, “They all love you, ey?”

“Why wouldn't they babe? I mean, shit, look at me! I’m a real life fuckin’ hero!” She leaned in and kissed Rachel on the lips, Rachel returned the kiss, and Chloe decided it was time to go. She chucked a bill on the bar, and put her tattooed arm around Rachel's neck. Rachel loved Chloe's unabashed pda’s, she reached up with her right hand to hold Chloe's.

They walked through the crowd towards the door, Chloe getting slaps on the back as she went, Rachel beaming from ear to ear at the admiration her girlfriend was getting. She deserved it.

 

* * *

 

A week later, two days before her medal ceremony, Chloe sat with the Chief in his runabout outside Harbourview, the hospital that Max was in. She had had several surgeries on her smashed legs, but was now asking to meet Chloe again, after seeing the video on her TV. Chloe wasn’t happy about doing this, but the Chief had insisted, as the request had come from HQ directly.

“Get out Price,” he said gruffly, Chloe did as she was told, and walked around the front of his SUV, he rolled down the window as she stepped onto the sidewalk, “I’ll be back in an hour, don’t keep me waiting.”

Chloe nodded, “Chief.” She looked at the front of the building and sighed. She hated hospitals, most firefighters did. Walking over to the front of the building she found the smoking area, despite being in her non-call uniform, with a beanie pulled low over her head to cover her hair. Despite the beanie, several people recognised her and shook her hand. Chloe trod her ciggie out and headed inside.

A round desk stood in the middle of the large ER room. Its hard white floor tiles were offset by pale green walls. It smelt like all hospitals, that mixture of disinfectant and sweat, with a hint of piss from the homeless that were always present in ER. Chloe wrinkled her nose at it.   

A nurse was behind the desk, as Chloe approached, “Hi there, I’m looking for Max Caulfield.”

The nurse looked up from her paperwork, and smiled, recognising Chloe straight away, “And here’s the hero!”

“I’m no hero Ma’am, the guys did most of the work.”

“Mhm, keep telling yourself that. She's in room 313, need help to find it?”

“No thanks, I’ll be fine.”

“Congratulations, Miss?”

“Chloe.”

“Great job Chloe. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again.”

“Thanks,” Chloe said, heading for the room. It was easy to find, the signs directing people to different wings were excellent, and Chloe tapped on the door within 5 minutes.

A huge bear of a man opened it. The frown on his face replaced with a smile as he recognised Chloe. He wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her tight, when he let go, tears were running down his face, “Thank you.” he said, “Thank you for my daughter.”

“Ryan, who is it?” A short, pretty, brown haired woman appeared from behind him, she took one look at Chloe and started crying herself, her face all screwed up. She covered her mouth with her hand, sobbing, and the man put his arms around her instead.

“Is it her?” said a croaky voice from inside. The big man looked at Chloe, and nodded for her to enter. Chloe stepped in to see Max in the bed, her left leg was in a full cast from the hip, the right ended in a stump just below the knee. Between the bed and the window was a sea of flowers, it actually smelt nice in here. She had an IV in the back of her right hand, and an oxygen tube under her nose. She had a black eye, and part of her head had been shaved so a deep cut could be stitched. Machines connected to her monitored her vital signs, but all Chloe really saw was her smile, and freckles. Chloe stood beside the bed, and had no idea what to say.

“Errr, shit. I’m no good at this.”

“How many times have you done this before?”

“None.”

“Then you’re smashing it.” Max grinned up at her, and took Chloe by surprise by reaching out and holding her hand. “Thanks for coming Chloe, do you mind if I call you Chloe by the way?”

“Of course not.” Chloe dragged a chair next to the bed and sat.

Max smiled again, blushing a little through the bruising, “Call me Max.”

“Okay Max. So here I am.”

“I know, and here I am, thanks to you.”

“It wasn't just me Max, all they guys saved you.”

“It was what you said that saved me. I can still hear it now.”

Chloe looked confused, she couldn't remember what she said at all, it was all training, ask for the victim’s name, make eye contact, tell them your name, say it’ll be okay.

Max giggled a little, then winced at the pain it caused. Her mum rushed over and flapped over her for a minute, Chloe could see the annoyance on Max's face, “Dad, could you and Mum go and get me and Chloe a drink, and Chloe looks hungry,” Chloe frowned at Max, and swiveled her eyes side to side, like, _I do?,_ Max tried not to laugh at her, “Like, now please, Chloe is on shift so she won't have long.”

“Okay honey. So, whatcha havin’ Chloe?”

“Errr, coffee and a pastry of some kind, doesn't matter what. Thanks.”

“No probs Chloe, I’m Ryan by the way, and this is Vanessa, though she doesn't like it, so call her ‘Ness.”

Once they were gone, Max looked back at Chloe, and only once Chloe made eye contact she said, “You were lying on the hood looking at me, with your big blue eyes, and your blue hair, and I said ‘Don't leave me Chloe.’ Do you remember what you said?”

Chloe remembered, it came to her like a flash at hearing Max’s words again, she nodded, “I do, yes.” She looked at Max, unsure what was happening, you’re taught not to get too close to victims, but right now Chloe felt drawn to Max, like she was a huge magnet. “I said ‘I won't Max, I promise, I’ll never leave you’”

“All I saw was your face Chloe, behind you was just water and sky, it was just you. And you didn't leave me. You saved me.” Max squeezed Chloe's hand tight. “And now you’re here.”

Chloe looked at Max, “Yes Max. I’m here.”

 

* * *

 

  
“On Tuesday September 1st, Chloe Elizabeth Price put the life of someone else before her own.  Despite the very real threat of the car falling from the bridge she climbed onto it to keep the victim calm allowing her colleagues to secure, and then work on the vehicle to free the victim, who was badly injured and trapped. As a Firefighter Candidate she has shown the qualities that we look for in all our Firefighters, bravery, composure, and complete commitment to helping those who need us. When people read about what Firefighter Candidate Price did, when they saw her in action on the news, my office was flooded with calls to say how much of a good example she is, to us all. Since then she has been humble despite the position she has been lifted up to by the media. She is an excellent and valued Firefighter Candidate, whose career I will be watching with great interest. It is my great honour to present Firefighter Candidate Price with the Medal Of Gallantry.”

The Deputy Fire Commissioner hung the medal around her neck, then stepped back and started to clap, Chloe looked out at the crowd as they joined him in applauding her. Her Mom, David and Rachel were sat at the front, her Mom was crying of course, and at the back the fire trucks from house 18 blew their horns in salute.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Should I leave this as a one shot?
> 
> Or, like me, do you want to see more of Firefighter Candidate Price, Max, and the guys in Firehouse 18?


End file.
